Like many of you, I’m in a moment of rapid transition, with spring semester grades barely posted and summer classes already underway. For students who are motivated by their graduation pace, funding, or other needs, summer classes are a great way to move forward: when I was an undergraduate I regularly embraced the format. As a faculty member I have more mixed feelings, particularly with the rising popularity of online summer classes. This summer I’m revisiting a difficult format that I’ve only taught once before: the online-only, six-week accelerated…

WESTMONT, Ill. (AP) — Some Illinois school districts are revamping their summer school programs this year with virtual programs designed to allow students to complete lessons outside of the classroom. But education experts are worried that online learning programs aren’t the best approach for younger students, the Chicago Tribune reported (http://trib.in/2oX6GV1 ). They are questioning whether the move is due to the school districts’ desire to cut costs and redirect money at a time when the state is $13 billion behind in allocating school funds due to the budget impasse.…